Cabinet construction



Mardi 2, 1954 c. E. AT1-woon CABINET CONSTRUCTION '2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed Uct. 18,'1949 A 'Zzv/ln fr.' Zarka WW l?? a f QZ-ffy,

March 2, 1954 c. E. AT1-wooo CABINET CONSTRUCTION A Filed Oct. 18, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Zf-/E-4- ,/1

. 11N; "MIMI 14# III ,1.3. iff? '/7 Patented Mar. 2, 1954 2,671,003 CABINET CONSTRUCTION Charles E. Attwood, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Y Acme Visible Records,-Inc., Chicago, Ill.,'a, corv poration of Delaware Application October 18, 1949, Serial No. 121,935

This invention relates to improvements in cabinets and refers particularly to a cabinet construction which contemplates rapid assembly and retention of the various components of the cabinet in assembled form with a minimum of retaining means.

One of the important objects of the present invention resides in a cabinet construction wherein the partitions thereof function as .spacers and tie-members in holding the front and rear walls of the cabinettogether in unitary assembled relationship.

Another important feature of the invention resides in a cabinet construction wherein the partitions, in addition to functioning as hereinbefore described, also serve as partitions per se and supports for slidable drawers.

A further important feature of the invention comprises a cabinet which is held in assembled form by a minimum number ofretaining devices.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and following detailed description.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the improved cabinet.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detailed sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a plan sectional view, parts being shown in elevation and parts being broken away,

of the improved cabinet.

y Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 5 5 of Figure l.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary, detailed, perspective view illustrating the supporting lugs for the l front ends of the partitions.

is specifically adapted for this purpose, it is to be understood that the present invention is not to be limited to the particular use for which the cabinet is adapted since the cabinet may be employed for many other purposes.

3 Claims.` (Cl. 3102-264) The cabinet I comprises a front frame porvfrom the frame 2. The rear wall E comprises a 2 pan-e1 1 having peripheral dimensions corresponding to those of the frame i.l The panel 1 is provided with a peripheral bead 8 and transverse beads 9 which function to reinforce the panel. Disposed centrally of said panel and in vertical alignment is a plurality of apertured bosses lil and in horizontal alignment with each of the bosses I 0 and flanking the bosses l0 on each side, the inner surface of the panel 'l carries a plurality of projections I i and I2, the projections I`I being in vertical alignment andthe projections I2 being in vertical alignment on each side of the column of bosses Ill.v

A plurality of partitions I3 (Figure 7) connect the frame 2 to the rear wall 6. As will be hereinafter more fully described, the partitions I3 function to divide the cabinet into a plurality of compartments IA; act as spacers between the front frame and the rear wall; act as tie-inembers securing the front frame to the rear wall and function as supports for drawers which may be housed in the cabinet. Each of the partitions I3 is provided with an upwardly-extending flange I 4 at one end and, at the opposite end, the partition is reverse-bent to forma U-shaped gripping member I5.

Upon the inner faces ofthe opposite side rails 5, a plurality of supporting lugs i6 are mounted one above the other in spaced relationship. The supporting lugs. I6 are preferably formed integral with the respective side rails 5, although said lugs may be formed separate and may. be secured to the side rails in appropriate spaced relationship by any convenient securing means, such as screws, bolts, rivets or the like.

In assembling the front frame 2, rear wall 5 and the partitions I3, the forward edgesof the partitions are disposed adjacent the frontframe 2 and the U-shapedzfolds I5 are engaged with the lugs i6, each U-shaped fold engaging one pair of lugs upon opposite faces of the rails5. The rear upwardly-extending ange I4 of each of the partitions I3 is provided with three apertures, a central aperture il and two side apertures It. In assembling the elements, the iianges I4 of each of the partitions I3 are disposed adjacent theinner face of the rear wall G and the projections Il are brought intogsupporting registration with the side apertures` I 8.

The central apertures I1 are in alignment with the apertured bosses I0 and bolts i9 are inserted through the apertures in the bosses and the central apertures I1. Nuts 20 may be employed to secure the anges in snugrelationship with respect to the bosses IG. Although bolts are shown .and described 'as comprising the fastening means, it is to be understood that any other suitable fastening means may be employed such as screws or rivets.

It can readily be seen that the front frame 2 and the rear wall B are in the manner hereinbefore described securely fastened together by the partitions i3. By the provision of the inter-engaging projections :tl ,and sideopenings y18, the partitions 't3 adjacent 1the rear wall G are prevented from rocking about the respective bolts I9. At the front end of cabinet, rocking of the partitions about their longitudinal axes is pre.- vented by engagement with the oppositelugs 16.

To form the side walls, top fandbottorn o fthe cabinet, a single piece of sheemmaterial 1.2i! .may be, in eifect, wrapped around the entire cabinet, the opposite edges of said sheet ,materialengaging upon shoulders 2| carried by the rear wall 6 and shoulders 22 carried by the front iframe 2. The wrapped around sheet material 28 additionaltygfimotionsasa compression member in spacmathe front frame..2 from theirear wall e.

The partitions 13 .also yfunction assupports :for drawers 23 ,which vmay be v(slidably positioned thecompartments lltheadrawers being moiled inwardly and-outwardly conveniently by .meanSQf handles 14. Thedrawers f2--3may comprise. a :supnrt for visible index vcards not shown)V foremay be in the form of conventional drawers.

Itica-n readily be seenthaha cabinetsconstruc- ,tionis her-ein, provided Whichis characterized by the fact that its assembly comprises-.essentially the use of a minimumnumber of retaining deaides. In the fform of :the invention illustrated,

fivezdrawers are contemplatedand only four -re tamingzbolts llfarevusedinfassembline theessential portion of :the cabinet. 'of course, any ynumber.;otacomaarti/ments 14 is. contemplated and iimeachcasethe number rif-.retaining devices will i Acanal 4the. numberof` compartments .frrnus one. it. capra/ische .readily seen `that :the present vconstruction Kis particularly adaptable in formi-ng an ,allsmetalfcabinet-etheiront .frame Zandthe rear mail E may :be-:dieecast and Vthe remaining ele- A ments of the cabinet may comprisesheet metal. in order -tofeliminate .playas muchas possible, ithe .projections H and i2 are .preferably tapered -soxithatV they :snugly :engage :the apertures i8.

isftofbe understood, of coursathat; asmany compartments :l'd :as-desired may -be-provided in :the cabinet :separated lby partitions t3. AThe -front frame ,and `rear Wall Aoi" the cabinet are preferably .die 'cast-butmay be constructed in :any other suitable fashion, the presentV invention being broadly directed=to=the simplified'Y retaining :means .regardless ofthe specific .form or materials .comprising the structure.

I claims my invention:

1. A.eabinetncomprisinga fron-t trame, a rear waitspaced from said' rfront frame, an integral -member'compris-ing opposite side walls and top andv bottom .Walls carried .by said front irameand rearwall, ahorizontal partition `for said cabinet for holding said front frame and rear wall together, said Apartition having front and rear'portions, means for securing the front portion of thev partition to said front frame to render said partition immovable vertically with respect to A.said frame, means for securing the rear portion of' the partition to the rear wall, said last' mentioned means comprising an angularly disposed riange carried by the rear portion ofthe partition, means extending through saidV flange and saidrear wall for engaging an intermediate portion of the flange and an intermediate portion of the rear wall, and a projection carried by said rear wall for removable engagement in an aperture provided in said ange laterally spaced from said intermediate engaged portion of said flange.

2. A cabinet comprising a front frame, a rear Wall and an integral sheet metal member which wrappedraround saidifront frameand rear wall tto form opposite'side walls, Va-top vand ya bottom said front frame bordering said side walls and ltop and bottom and being completely open therebetween, La ,partition for said cabinet for holding said front frame and rear wall together, said partition having Va front and a rear portion,

v'means vforV removably securing spaced lateral portions only ofthe front portion of the partition Ito.,said.liront frame, means for securing the rear -wall spaced from 'said front frame, an integral sheet metal member wrapped around-said `iront vframe and rear wallcto form opposite side walls and a top and bottom, said front frame bordering said side-Walls and said top anclbottoin Walls-and being completely open therebetween, horizontal partitions for saidcabinetweach having vfront'and rear'portions, means for removably securing the iront portion of each of the partitions to said front frame, said means comprising spaced lugs carried by said iront frame *adjacentv said sid-e walls, Yand -U-shaped means carried by the front portion of said partition for embracing the upper vand.lower:portions of saidlugs to'prevent vertical movement of said partitions relative to 'said frame, means for securing the rear portion of each of said partitions to the rear wall, said llastmentioned means comprising an angularly disposed iiange carried by the `rear portion of" each partition, screw means extending through each ange and said rear wall for fastening an inter- `mediate portion of each nange vto an intermediate portion of the rear wall, Vand projections carried by said rear `wall for removable engagezment in apertures provided in said flangesl horizontally spaced from, and at least one Von* .each side of, said intermediate portion of each flange.

CHARLES E. ATTWOOD.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Vlxlumber Name Date 414,181 Bardsley Nov. 5, 1839 868,310 White et al Oct. 15, 1907 1,423,861 Levene July 25, 1922 1,660,898 Worley Feb. 28, 192,8 1,745,518 Vance Feb. 4, 1930 1,921,387 Finley Aug. 8, v19,33 2,176,913 Mandel Oct. 24, 1939 2,213,115 Bales Aug. 27, 194,0 2,308,330 Harbison Jan. 12, 1943 2,424,217Y Baies July 22,v 1947 V2,488,108 Barler et al. Mar. 23, 1948 2,433,257 Stevenson Mar. 23, 1948 mesma Ech1m Apr.. 1949 

